Raiders’ Cooper makes immediate impact
Rookie receiver, quarterback Carr boost Oakland
Amari Cooper, the former Alabama wide receiver, has been nothing short of what was advertised for the Oakland Raiders, providing big-play production and a glimpse of promise while growing with young quarterback Derek Carr.
Heading into Sunday’s game at the Chicago Bears on the heels of back-to-back 100-yard games, Cooper is just the second rookie over the last 30 years (DeSean Jackson, 2008) to post two 100-yard games during the first three weeks of the regular season.
Other items of interest as NFL Week 4 rolls along:
Who’s hot: Julio Jones. Never mind that the Atlanta Falcons have had to come from behind to win each of their three games, when opposing defenses knew Matt Ryan needed to throw the football. Jones still hasn’t been stopped. The star wideout is off to a blazing, recordsetting pace, with his 34 catches — the most in NFL history through three games. He also heads into Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans as the first to post at least 135 receiving yards in each of his first three games. Beyond the stats, the rub is the manner in which new coordinator Kyle Shanahan has deployed Jones all over the place — wide left, wide right, in the slot — to keep defenses off-balance and unable to consistently disrupt his routes.
Next man up: Karlos Williams. With LeSean McCoy ruled out of Sunday’s game against the New York Giants to heal his hamstring, it’s essentially a case of the Buffalo Bills’ Williams taking on an expanded role as the leading man for the NFL’s topranked rushing attack. While McCoy had nearly twice as many carries as Williams through three games, the fifth-round rookie from Florida State was actually the more effective back, averaging 7.8 yards on his 24 carries and producing three TDs. Still, there’s something to be said for a 1-2 punch, with Rex Ryan installing a run-heavy scheme that has resulted in the Bills running on 53% of their snaps. Mobile quarterback Tyrod Taylor is part of the rushing mix, too. But without neither McCoy nor big-play wideout Sammy Watkins available, the challenge to sustain a consistent rushing attack against New York’s second-ranked run defense will be carried by Williams.
Stomach for an upset: Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Carolina’s 3-0 start is a testament to the worth of Ron Rivera as one of the league’s most underrated coaches and Cam Newton’s progress as a star quarterback who can put his team on his back. There’s no Kelvin Benjamin (torn ACL), no Luke Kuechly since the first half ofWeek 1 (concussion). And now, no Charles Johnson (hamstring) for at least eight weeks. Through the setbacks, the tough, physical Panthers keep winning. But the trip to Tampa represents a classic trap game. The Bucs aren’t going to contend for the playoffs anytime soon, but they are a division opponent with a few playmakers who can make the difference, including GeraldMcCoy. QB Jameis Winston has been up-anddown, but with twin tower receivers in Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans, the threat looms.
Stat’s the fact: San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers has connected on 74.5% of his passes, the highest rate of his career through three games. At one point, he threatened the NFL record by completing 22 passes in a row. But there have been glitches. He heads into Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns hoping to end an NFL-longest streak, dating to last season, of nine consecutive games with an interception.